Participatory eco-landscape design: the case of NRIAG eco-park in Helwan, Egypt

Abstract

As cities get more crowded and polluted, eco-landscape design gains increasing attention. Open spaces play a vital role in healing the natural environment as well as the physical and mental health of the citizens. This paper presents an exploratory eco-park design project in Helwan, Egypt. The project focuses on the opportunity of integrating marginalised natural environments, such as Wadis (dry streams), with the urban fabric through Eco-landscape design. The current work explores the complex environment, characterised by detailed multidisciplinary data, which requires multi-layer analysis. The discussion evaluates the tremendous effect of integrating the participatory qualitative method with other analytical and digital tools, such as modelling and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to deduce scientific details and activities in the preliminary phases of zoning plans. This results in a constructive framework for merging these multi-methods and tools within the participatory eco-landscape design process. In addition, the conclusion highlights the peculiarity of the eco-landscape design and practice in the current Egyptian situation in a broad sense.